Typical active optical systems use laser radiation to detect and locate objects. Such systems detect an object by sensing reflections of laser radiation from the object. After the object has been detected, these systems locate the object by determining an angular location of the object and a range to the object. Conventional active optical systems illuminate an entire field of view of the system instantaneously with sufficient laser energy to detect even the lowest reflective objects within that field of view, and at a maximum desired range. A detector within the optical system includes a given number of pixels, each having a sufficient sensitivity to detect the reflected laser radiation from the entire field of view. The reflected laser radiation is analyzed to determine a distance (i.e., range) to the object. Typically, range is determined by direct detection (e.g., the “time of flight” principle), or by frequency modulation.
The size, weight, and power of a typical active optical system increases with the range and field of view of the active optical system. Longer ranges and wider fields of view require high powered laser sources, which directly increase the required input power and the size of the active optical system. Increases in range and field of view may also require additional components to reject waste heat generated by the high powered laser source. Such components also increase the size, weight, and power of the optical system.